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5 Faith Reads to Put on Your List for 2019

Settling into a chair with a good book or cuddling up in your bed with a great read and a favorite blanket are great ways to spend a rainy afternoon or cool evening.

Whether you're looking to add a new addition to a Bible study or book group or just need another book for your to-be-read pile, here are several faith reads residents of Bethesda Senior Living Communities might enjoy in 2019.

In this book, Rosaria Butterfield discusses the relationship between hospitality and sharing Jesus's love with others. She uses Biblical examples — and examples from Christ himself — to illustrate the importance of hospitality in living a radical life for Jesus in any circumstance, including an assisted living community.

From the temple to worship, New York Times bestselling author Jefferson Bethke takes apart everything you might know about God and the church and then puts it all back together in his characteristic straight-talk-backed-by-Biblical-principles style.

This quick read will have you thinking about old concepts in new ways and open the door for great discussions about theology in assisted living community Scripture study groups.

This personal, introspective look at church culture and Jesus's role in our lives comes from radio host Brant Hansen. The book proclaims "Great news for believers who are introverts, spiritual strugglers or just feel like they're missing something."

Hansen talks candidly about how it feels to be the only person apparently not getting the emotional hit of a worship service and how he found his personal relationship with Jesus after years of struggling with the fact that it didn't look like anyone else's. This is a great read for seniors who have always felt slightly off in corporate worship scenarios and anyone who struggles to communicate fully with Christ.

Josh Larsen, co-host of Filmspotting, pens this fun read that digs into the way films "voice our deepest longings." He doesn't just look at Christian films but shows how Christians can relate prayer and almost any movie. This is a great read if you're looking for something different at a Christian book club in your senior living community, but it's also a fun solo read for anyone who loves movies.

Much less contemporary than any other book on this list, The Crook in the Lot gathers a series of sermons from Scottish theologian Thomas Boston. The sermons took place in the 18th century, but they have a lot to communicate to modern children of God. Specifically, the book covers God's place in the pain and afflictions we may suffer in this world.